Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Aug 5: Breast milk is considered the ideal food for infants, containing antibodies that help protect against many common childhood illnesses, experts say. They added that no food can match breast milk in terms of its benefits for both mother and baby.
Dr Showkat, a paediatrician, said there is a huge difference between mother’s milk and artificial milk, with the latter being no substitute unless in an emergency.
“Breastfeeding is vital for ensuring the optimal nutrition and growth of infants. It provides numerous health benefits for both the child and the mother and supports emotional and cognitive development,” he said. “Breast milk helps babies fight off viruses and bacteria, lowers the risk of asthma and allergies, and exclusively breastfed babies for the first six months have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses and bouts of diarrhoea.”
Dr Jaspreet Singh Raina, another paediatrician, said that alternatives to mother’s milk do not provide even one percent of what breast milk offers. “It provides essential nutrients perfectly tailored to the needs of growing babies and offers numerous benefits for both the child and the mother,” Dr Raina said.
Another paediatrician Dr Bashir said that breast milk is the ideal food for infants as it contains all the energy and nutrients needed for the first six months of life. He recommended introducing soft food after six months but continuing breastfeeding for about two years to protect against illness.
Dr Bashir advised feeding small amounts of food with a gradual increase during illness to replenish energy lost. “Breastfeeding mothers need more calories and calcium, as around five percent of a mother’s bone mass is lost during breastfeeding due to the baby’s calcium needs,” he said, adding that breastfeeding also releases oxytocin, which helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and may reduce uterine bleeding after birth. It also lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer and osteoporosis, he added.
Pediatrician Dr Muzaffar said that breastfeeding protects babies against short and long-term illnesses and diseases, with lower risks of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). “Non-breastfed babies often fall ill and the rate of exclusive breastfeeding is around 60 percent, with efforts underway to increase it to 100 percent,” he said.
According to the National Health and Family Survey-5 (NHFS-5), around 62 percent of children in Jammu and Kashmir are exclusively breastfed as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), while only 13 percent are fed according to all recommended practices.
